Editing Leshy (section)

==The relationship of hunters and shepherds with Leshy==
Hunters firmly believed that their hunting success was determined by Leshy, who was responsible for distributing the bounties of the forest to humans. To ensure a fruitful hunt, one could enter into a pact with Leshy (preferably during [[Easter]] or on the night of [[Ivan Kupala]]) by offering a gift, such as the first Easter egg or bread with salt (mixed with one's own hair or nails), or by making a sacrifice of one's own blood (from a finger or first catch). Another option was to write a contract in blood. The individual made a promise to abide by specific terms, such as refraining from taking more prey than allowed or refraining from hunting on designated days. This agreement must be kept confidential. By fulfilling his end of the bargain, Leshy would guide herds of animals towards the hunter's weapon or lead them into traps, ensuring accurate shots. Any individual who broke the agreement or revealed it would lose the protection of Leshy and may face severe consequences, such as illness or death. Striking a deal with Leshy meant surrendering oneself to his power and, as Christianity became more prevalent, it was often equated with selling one's soul to the Devil. In later beliefs, ending a contract with Leshy required placing a cross under one's heel, burying it in the ground, or shooting an ikon, holy gifts, or a cross with a gun and smearing the weapon with the resulting blood.<ref>Shchepanskaya T.B. Chapters 4-10 // Culture of the road in the Russian mythological tradition of the XIX—XX centuries. — Indrik, 2003. — pp. 153-427.</ref>

In many regions, cattle were commonly grazed in the forest, and in order to protect them from potential attacks and losses by predators, a shepherd would perform a ritual detour (known as a “free leave”) at the beginning of the season, either on Egoriy, or on Nikola days. This involved circling the herd three times while carrying an ikon and other “magical” objects, reciting incantations. It was believed that any mistakes could anger Leshy, who was seen as the source of all misfortunes with the cattle in the forest, and he may seek revenge by harming the animals. Consequently, many individuals opted to negotiate with Leshy and choose a “divine” or “blessed” free leave instead of risking an “unblessed” free leave. This entailed the shepherd performing a ritual detour around the herd and sitting on a fallen birch tree or aspen stump on the same day or the day before, using a magical incantation to summon Leshy and presenting him with a gift such as an Easter egg, bread with salt, or even a couple of cows. The cow that was promised to Leshy would then either die or disappear in the forest during the season. In some traditions, Leshy was not summoned, but instead a present was left for him beneath a birch tree. The agreement with Leshy was made using a specific and secret formula, but no one was ever able to record the exact text. The shepherd made sure to leave a lock and key in the forest as part of the agreement. It was believed that Leshy would unlock it when the cows needed to graze and lock it when they had to return to the village. Once the agreement was in place, it was thought that Leshy or his spouse would take care of the grazing instead of the shepherd. This allowed the shepherd to focus on his own tasks and only have to deal with driving out and corralling the cattle. He could also easily call any cows from the forest by blowing a trumpet. The shepherd had to follow certain rules throughout the season. These included not watching the cattle in the forest, not harming them, not killing any forest animals, not damaging trees, not picking berries (especially black berries) and mushrooms, not swearing, not cutting hair or nails, not wearing his own clothes while grazing, not lending his pipe or batog to others, not touching other people (shaking hands, sharing utensils, bathing or sleeping with a woman), and not looking upon dead people or newborns. It was also forbidden to sell any cattle from the herd, scratch the wool of sheep, or damage any hedges. Breaking these taboos was believed to result in the breaking of the contract and could even lead to the death of the cattle and the shepherd.<ref name="Madlevskaya E.L. 2005. P. 314-327" />

It was believed that Leshy had the ability to steal cattle from people, particularly those who had been cursed and were “sent to Leshy.” Leshy had the power to punish those who were careless with their cattle. If the cattle happened to wander into Leshy's territory, they could easily get lost. Leshy can “tie” the cattle to a tree, preventing them from moving and causing them to starve, or even “lock” or “hide” the animal in another realm, making it seem as though it had disappeared. Those searching for their lost cattle may hear the sound of the cow's bell nearby, but still be unable to find it. In some beliefs, Leshy would take care of the stolen cows, grazing and milking them. Leshy had the power to cause chaos among domesticated animals, such as wolves and bears, that were under the care of a negligent shepherd. In order to locate the missing animals, peasants not only conducted regular searches, but also performed a ritual known as “turning away.” This involved going to a crossroads in the forest, often with the help of a knowledgeable person, and attempting to make a deal with Leshy. To appease him, they would offer gifts such as eggs or bread with salt, wrapped in a clean cloth and tied with a red thread. They would also pray to Leshy or use threats of magic, such as cursing all the forest roads or tying up all the trees. If the missing animal had not been taken by Leshy, it would usually return soon or Leshy would reveal its whereabouts. In some cases, Leshy would also reveal the animal's fate, whether it had been attacked by other animals, stolen by someone, or simply wandering outside of the forest.<ref>Moroz A.B. Northern Russian pastoral vacations and the magic of the first cattle pasture among the Slavs // The East Slavic ethno-linguistic collection. Research and materials. — M.: Indrik, 2001. — pp. 232-258.</ref>